Existing parabolic solar trough systems include a plurality of parabolic solar troughs that focus the sun's heat into a heat-transfer fluid that flows through receivers of the solar troughs. The heated fluid may then be used to generate steam for conventional electricity producing steam turbines, heat water in hot water storage tanks, and the like. Such systems operate automatically at high efficiency and can be competitive with fossil fuel.
The parabolic solar troughs of current systems have parabolic light collectors, which track the sun along one axis. The parabolic light collectors include mirrors that are supported high above the earth's surface by complex aluminum space frames or torsion boxes, which are time-consuming and expensive to manufacture. The above-the-earth parabolic light collectors are also subject to damaging wind and weather loads.
The parabolic light collector must always be focusing the sun's heat on the receiver as the light collectors track the sun, therefore, the alignment between the light collector and the receiver must be precisely maintained. Because the receivers of current parabolic troughs are constructed to rotate with their corresponding above-the-earth parabolic light collectors, the system parasitic loads are higher due to increased pressure losses in the flexible couplings between troughs.
Accordingly, a parabolic solar trough system is needed that is less expensive and faster to manufacture and which also allows fixed couplings for less pressure loss than current parabolic solar trough systems.